Haunted
by Miss Peg
Summary: Some things get in the way of living, especially being dead / Cook / Written for the Skins Reverse Big Bang 2012


**HAUNTED**

**Author**: Miss Peg

**Word count**: Ever so slightly over 3000

**Rating**: NC-17

**Warnings**: Spoilers for series 4, if they're considered spoilers now, lol. Swearing, as to be expected.

**Disclaimer**: I didn't create these people or this world, I just like to play in it.

**Summary**: Some things get in the way of living, especially being dead.

**Notes**: This was hard, not as hard as my other fic, but still hard. I hope you enjoy it all the same. Thanks to Red

'What the fuck, JJ?' shouted Cook, his voice low and harrowing. He sat down on the bed and reached out to ruffle JJ's hair, but he moved out of the way.

'What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck?' JJ screamed, backing up against the wall and pulling the duvet tightly around his neck. 'Just a dream, it's just a dream, it's not real. Cook's dead.'

'Cook's dead? What are you fucking on about GayJay? I'm right here.' He stood up and wiggly his bum in JJ's face, pulling down his trousers to check his manhood. 'Yep, still intact, I'm all here GayJay.' He thrust his crotch in front of his friend. 'ALL here.'

'No, you're not.' JJ ducked, lifting the duvet over his head. 'You're dead, you're not real, you're just a figment of my imagination.'

'Don't be a pussy, alright?' Cook stalked across the room to the window and reached out to open the curtains. 'Wakey wakey, rise and shine.'

His hand floated through the material, which didn't move. He reached out again only to clutch thin air. He shook his head and threw both arms out in a rage only to grow more irate as they flew straight through the fabric. He screamed a blood curdling scream as reality hit him with full force.

_'I'M COOOOOOOOOOK.'  
_  
Fuck.

'He killed me, he fucking killed me.'

Cook watched JJ shivering with terror under his duvet. He didn't know what was going on, or whether he could do anything about it, but he couldn't scare his best friend like that. He ran for the door, reached out to the handle but he wasn't for stopping, his hand flew straight through the door and he stumbled through the wooden frame into the hallway.

'Fuck me up the arse,' he muttered, turning around and staring at the door, still closed.

'Don't tell me he's fucking killed you, too?'

That voice. He turned around again, span in a circle; his eyes haunted like he'd seen a ghost, or more precisely, heard a ghost.

The hallway was empty.

He span around another couple of times before a face appeared through the wall.

'Boo.'

He screamed, stumbling backwards and landing painfully on the ground; if that was even possible in his current state.

'Freddie?' he gasped, resting a hand upon his heart, though there was no heavy beating like he expected.

'Scared you?'

'Yes, you fucking scared me.' He jumped back up and wrapped his arms around his best friend. It had been a few months, at least, maybe more; he couldn't be sure any longer. He hadn't even realised he was dead; maybe he'd been dead for a few days, or weeks, maybe even months. He didn't have a fucking clue what was going on and JJ looked a little older, a little more worn than he remembered. When his arms rested upon Freddie's shoulders he pulled back. 'How the fuck am I touching you?'

'We're in the same world Cook, the rules are different here.'

They were all in the same world, surely. JJ was right there on the other side of the door. How could he not open JJ's curtains or door but could see him? He could touch him, or at least he assumed he could. Maybe he couldn't after all. Maybe he could only touch other ghosts. Was he even a ghost? Cook shook his head. Normally he acted out, in whichever given situation. Lashing out was a reaction he could do, no matter what. Now he wasn't sure it was even possible anymore.

'I think I need a piss and a pint, this is fucking weird man.'

'I know, I thought that at first too,' said Freddie, ruffling his hair. He ducked and dived out of the way. If he couldn't do it to JJ then why should Freddie do it to him? 'But it'll be okay. We're together again.'

At least all was not lost with their current state of affairs.

'Yes we fucking are Fredster, we fucking are,' Cook laughed, resting a hand on the back of Freddie's neck and kissing him quickly on the lips. 'Freddie and Cook, back in fucking business.'

'And there was me expecting you to be devastated that you'd died,' said Freddie, his arm folded across his chest.

He couldn't remember dying; all he remembered was going to Foster's house and screaming at him. Then the memories faded and he was left with nothing but a sore head and this world where he wasn't even real.

'Nah man,' said Cook, grinning widely, too widely. 'I fucking killed the bastard that murdered you, it doesn't matter what happened next, I can't even remember. But I fucking killed him, I just know it.'

Freddie stared at him with his eyebrows raised. 'You killed Foster?'

'Fuck yes, wasn't going to let him kill my best friend and do nothing about it, was I?'

'Thanks, Cook.'

A door opened behind Freddie and JJ's mum walked out, a towel in her hand and her hair tangled up from sleep. Cook waved his arms in front of her face, desperate to try and reach the other world, just for the fun of it.

'Doesn't work, I've tried, can't get through to any of them.'

'But I just talked to GayJay.'

Freddie stared at him like he'd seen a ghost, even though he had. 'You did what?'

'Talked to him, in his room, he was fucking terrified.'

'How?' The disappointment in his voice was unsettling, like when he lost Effy. It left Cook feeling guilty, though he couldn't be sure how, surely if he was a ghost he should have been at peace, not still wracked with guilt over something he could do nothing about.

'Not a clue, but he looked like he was going to shit in his bed.'

'Always have to go one better don't you Cook?' said Freddie, his tone cold. It's not like he chose to talk to JJ, he hadn't even known he was dead. He brushed the feeling aside and plastered that smile back on his face.

'Race you to the pub; I wanna see if I can scare my uncle.'

Freddie shouted after him, but he didn't pay any attention. He was on a mission; Freds could either join him or piss off. When he arrived at the pub alone then failed in his attempt to contact his uncle, he realised how lonely it must be. How lonely Freddie must have been. He tried to pick up someone's pint, unsuccessfully, fucking no body; he had the taste of beer in his mouth and no way to quench it. He wasn't really thirsty but that never stopped him before.

'Get out you cunts,' shouted his uncle, swigging from a bottle of Whisky. Cook watched the few customers file out of the door.

'Come to your senses yet?'

Cook turned his attention from a hot blonde in a short skirt walking away to his friend. He wasn't in the fucking mood. He ignored him and marched across the bar, stopping when he saw the small shrine in the corner. His photograph rested in the middle, his toothy grin lit up in the centre and a book of messages sat open. He read the latest entries.

'It's 2011?' he muttered, two years since the night he went to Foster's. Cook didn't understand. His whole life had ended two fucking years ago. Why couldn't he remember anything from those last two years? If he was a ghost then surely he would have entered the place he was in long before now.

'It's okay Cook,' said Freddie, resting a hand on his shoulder. 'Took me a while before I could see everyone again, always wondered why you weren't there.'

Cook flinched, then relaxed under his touch. Even though he couldn't remember much of the last twenty months it all still felt so long ago. He hadn't realised before, hadn't allowed himself to realise just how distanced he was from his life. JJ looked older because he was older and he was trapped in some alternate universe between life and death.

He turned around. His relationship with Freddie had always been fraught, they fought like only brothers could and he loved him just as fiercely. He was the only one who fucking understood the position he was in. Life was sad when you no longer had one. Why the fuck did he waste so much of his?

'Point fucking taken,' he mumbled, storming past Freddie and out into the street. He was used to ignoring any advice Freddie shared and did his own thing; fuck the consequences...but look where that had got him. Admitting his mistake was the first sign that things had changed. He was Cook, he wasn't a fucking pussy, but in death he couldn't be too sure he was as brave as he once thought, either.

'Come with me.'

He followed blindly, accepting his new position as the one that didn't know anything. He was a rookie in a world he knew nothing about and for the first time since he confronted Foster, he recognised a feeling of fear bubbling in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't sure how his chest ached but he didn't like the feeling of being dead. He once imagined it would be peaceful, white clouds and other heavenly shit. Maybe this was the punishment he got for being a tosser. Perhaps the God loving Christians had been right and he was going to live forever in this perpetual hell. No burning just the constant torture of the things that you could no longer have.

They arrived at a graveyard, a large green field filled with row after row of headstones. He'd never been to a grave before; the only funeral he'd attended had been a cremation. It was fucking depressing, knowing that everywhere they turned was another dead body. Another family's grief, another group of friends wondering what the fuck happened to the person they loved.

Then he saw him, JJ, stood with a bunch of flowers in his hands, his knees resting on the ground.

'GayJay!' he shouted.

When JJ turned around Freddie tackled Cook to the ground and they watched from behind a gravestone as JJ searched over their heads. Cook wailed and moaned, stifling laughter when JJ turned deathly white.

'Don't be a cunt, Cook,' said Freddie.

Cook grabbed him by the neck and ran his knuckles over his hair; he struggled under his grasp until the two of them rolled from behind the gravestone and landed at JJ's feet. His eyes grew wide and he opened his mouth to scream.

'Don't do it Jay,' said Freddie as JJ looked from him to Cook and back again.

'Oh, my, giddy, giddy, aunt,' JJ muttered, turning around quickly and sprinting across the graveyard.

They chased after him until he could run no further and the three of them stopped by the gate, struggling to catch their breath. Something which Cook found rather pointless considering his current state. Eventually JJ stood upright, his eyes landing back upon them, his face still a horrendously pale shade.

'It's alright JJ,' said Cook, resting his hand on his shoulder, JJ tensed up and shuddered. His hand never really touched him but the icy cold aura of his soul sent a shiver down JJ's spine. He could feel it, somehow, the connection he was making. It felt empowering in a world where he had little control.

JJ stared at Cook, Cook stared at JJ. The two of them never turning their eyes away, the only break in contact came when JJ blinked, something Cook realised he didn't seem to need to do anymore.

'This isn't happening,' JJ mumbled, resting his hands against the sides of his head and muttered undistinguishable words to himself.

All Cook wanted to do was wrap his arms around his best friend, to tell him that everything would be okay and they would look after him. He wasn't sure that he could, at least not without scaring him. He'd never be able to again. Who knew how long this corporeal situation would continue for, he certainly didn't and he doubted JJ had any ideas either. Even Freddie who had been in a ghostly state for a lot longer than he had seemed clueless.

'It is Jay,' said Cook, resting his hands as close to JJ's cheeks as he could. He shuddered and closed his eyes, frozen under the sensory touch of his aura, an out of body experience if ever there was one. Then he stopped moving, opened his eyes and stared right into the icy blue of Cook's now soulless pupils.

'Cook.'

JJ breathed quickly, shaking with nerves. Cook pulled Freddie into their tiny circle, forced him to stand in front of JJ and they stood together. Friends, reunited.

'I don't understand,' said JJ, swallowing a hard lump in his throat. Cook tapped his cheek and cringed at the thought of what it did to JJ, his cheek turning whiter by the second. 'You're…'

'Dead,' said Freddie, smiling weakly.

'Exactly.'

'We don't understand either GayJay, but we're here. We don't really know how much time we have, so we gotta make the most of it, alright?'

When he moved closer, JJ moved away, Cook's hand sliding away from the edge of JJ's neck. He shook his head and continued to mutter things to himself, growing more and more frustrated. JJ hit his thighs with his fists.

'Stop, fucking stop, Jay,' Freddie shouted and as he always did when Freddie was alive, he stopped.

'I miss you,' JJ said, his eyes resting upon the stranger's headstone beside them. 'Both of you.'

'We fucking miss you too, JJ,' said Cook, wrapping his cold lack of body around his friend. He could feel Freddie resting his arms around them both and there they stood the three of them.

'At least you have each other.'

'I guess so.' Cook took a step back; JJ rubbed his shoulders to remove the draft of his ghostly friends. 'But you Jay, you have life. I know which one I'd choose.'

'Freddie?' JJ turned to Freddie, a look of hope that he felt the same way, Cook could tell by the longing expression in his eyes, eyes which still had emotion. He looked away, he couldn't stare into them any longer, it hurt too much.

'Maybe.' Freddie shrugged. 'But I fucking miss weed.'

A man across the graveyard glanced over at JJ as he spoke out loud, watching him with doubt as he talked not to a grave but the air around him. Cook wanted to knock his fucking lights out, fucking judgemental twat.

'I always wanted you to come back.' JJ lowered himself down to the floor and rested against the wall. 'I didn't expect it to be like this though.'

'Neither did we mate, but it'll be alright, yeah?' Cook said, sitting down beside him. 'I'm sorry I went.'

'You did the right thing.'

'But I left you alone.'

'You're a hero Cook, I wouldn't have done it.'

'What happened to me Jay?'

'They found you in Foster's house, you were barely alive.'

'Did I kill him?'

He wasn't sure why it mattered so much anymore, he was dead, Freddie was dead, there was nothing else they could do. Yet he needed to know if he'd achieved what he'd intended.

'You killed him.'

He threw a fist into the air and jeered loudly. Then he relaxed, went silent for a moment. The victory was bitter, regardless of achieving his aim, he'd lost something significant. Not just his life, but his friends.

'I stayed with you in the hospital,' said JJ. 'Six days and fourteen hours, then you gave up.'

'Thanks Jay.' Cook stood up and smiled. 'You're gonna be fine, yeah? You're JJ, you're smart and sophisticated and all of that. Look after yourself.'

'You too,' said JJ smiling. 'Stop haunting me.'

'I'll try, we should go and do some ghost shit. Always wanted to see what Katie looks like naked.

JJ smiled and shook his head. 'Cook?'

'Yeah?'

'Don't stay away for too long, okay?'

'Okay.'

They walked away, their feet shuffling along the ground as much as any ghosts could. They walked for hours, days, an amount of time that felt immeasurable. He didn't really care. Life was no longer something formed by minutes or hours. Time mattered little the world that they were in.

Freddie walked by his side, making snide comments every so often, jokes at which he snorted laughter. They'd always played the comedy role, two fucking comedians, best friends, brothers. Aside from their issues in life, why should any of that matter in death?

They walked with no direction and yet somehow they both ended up at the same house on the other side of Bristol. Neither of them had mentioned her, or stated their intention to visit.

'Effy's,' Cook muttered, watching Freddie closely.

'Haven't been here since I died,' he said, honestly. 'It always seemed too hard.'

He understood why. If Freddie wasn't stood beside him, he doubted he'd have had the courage to go there either.

'What have you been doing with yourself then?' he said, judgements rolling from his tongue, despite the fact he knew he didn't mean it. Freddie smiled, he understood, he wasn't being a cunt on purpose, there was little else for him to say.

'Looking at Katie's tits,' Freddie grinned and Cook doubled over in laughter. They'd always shared their love of girls and even though he'd never had the pleasure of fucking the straight Fitch, he'd always admired her strength and sexual prowess. Who was he kidding? He thought she was fucking hot.

They stared up at the window which Cook had stood at with Effy, an immature smirk on his face as he watched Freddie down below, victorious in screwing him over. Things were different now. Cook linked fingers with Freddie. If they'd done it alive he'd probably have punched him in the nose, it wasn't the same now. It would never be the same and they had to fight their fears, just as Cook always did.

'Come on then you fucking pussy, let's get this over with.'

**THE END**


End file.
